3 Ways To Make Drums For Kids - WikiHow

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Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow How to Make Drums for Kids PDF download Download Article Reviewed by Renee Day

Last Updated: March 10, 2025 Approved

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  • Making a Drum from a Balloon
    • |
  • Using a Coffee Tin
    • |
  • Crafting a Dumbek (African Drum)
    • |
  • Video
    • |
  • Q&A
    • |
  • Tips
    • |
  • Things You'll Need
|Show more |Show less X

This article was reviewed by Renee Day. Renee Day is a Crafting Expert and Content Creator based in Michigan. She is a master of paper crafts, and also specializes in brush lettering, journaling, embossing, stamping, stenciling, doodling, and crocheting. Her Instagram account, thediyday, has over 300K followers. She published a book called Creative Journaling: A Guide to Over 100 Techniques and Ideas for Amazing Dot Grid, Junk, Mixed-Media, and Travel Pages. The book contains 52 projects, from crafting colorful pages to creating dot grid, junk, mixed-media, and travel journals. She also created Chunky Letter Calligraphy, a 30+ page (PDF) all about lettering. She runs a thriving Amazon Storefront, where she curates craft supply collections for her followers. She previously worked as a photographer, capturing engagement sessions, weddings, boudoir, and landscapes. She received a Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 87% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 327,907 times.

Playing a drum is a fun activity for kids to be introduced to music and learn how to keep a beat. You can easily make a drum from household objects for your kids to play and learn on. They’ll have fun helping to make their own musical instrument and be proud of themselves as they learn to drum a beat.

Steps

Method 1 Method 1 of 3:

Making a Drum from a Balloon

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  1. Step 1 Find a pot to use. 1 Find a pot to use. Find an old pot to use as the body of the drum. A pot with a diameter of less than 12 inches works best.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Make Drums for Kids 2 Get the right size balloon. The balloon is going to be the head of the drum so it needs to be tight but large enough to fit around the top of the pot. If the balloon is too small, it might be too tight and break when you drum.[1]
    • A 24 inch balloon works best for pots 10 to 12 inches in diameter.
    • A 16 inch balloon works best for pots under 10 inches in diameter.
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  3. Watermark wikiHow to Make Drums for Kids 3 Cut off the mouthpiece of the balloon. Use scissors to cut the mouthpiece off of the balloon. Make sure you only cut the mouth piece and not the body of the balloon.[2]
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Make Drums for Kids 4 Stretch the balloon on the pot and secure it. Secure the pot in between your knees or ask a friend to hold it securely. Put the balloon over one side of the pot and carefully stretch it over the entire top of the pot.[3] Secure the balloon on the pot by stretching several rubber bands onto the pot sitting on top of the balloon.
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Make Drums for Kids 5 Play your drum. Use lightweight wooden sticks to play your balloon drum. Chopsticks, small wooden dowels, or pencils work great for drumming on a balloon drum.[4]
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Method 2 Method 2 of 3:

Using a Coffee Tin

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Make Drums for Kids 1 Glue construction paper around the coffee tin. Start by removing the lid and label from the coffee tin. Use the label as a guide to cut a piece of construction paper to fit the can. Glue the construction paper onto the coffee tin using craft glue.[5]
    • If you can't use the label as a guide, use a ruler to measure the width of label area on the tin. Draw a rectangle on the construction paper that is the same width and as long as the piece of paper is. You can cut off any overlap.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Make Drums for Kids 2 Attach fabric to the top of the coffee tin. Use a hot glue gun to glue a square of fabric to the top of the coffee tin. Trim the excess fabric leaving about one to two inches of extra fabric past the glue.
    • The square of fabric should be about double the size of the top of the tin. For example, if the lid of the tin is about 3x3 inches, the fabric square should be 6x6 inches.
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Make Drums for Kids 3 Replace the lid. Put the lid to the coffee tin back on to secure the fabric in place and create a solid surface for the child to drum on. You can hide the edge of the lid by gluing on a ribbon over it.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Make Drums for Kids 4 Decorate the drum. Use markers, stickers, feathers, or other decorative material to decorate the drum. You can draw designs on the paper around the drum or hang feathers down from the lid to the coffee tin. Use your imagination and have the child make the drum unique.
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Make Drums for Kids 5 Find sticks to drum with. Find lightweight wooden sticks to use as drumsticks. Use wooden dowels, chopsticks, or unsharpened pencils to drum on your new drum.
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Method 3 Method 3 of 3:

Crafting a Dumbek (African Drum)

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  1. Step 1 Get a cardboard carpet tube and plastic flower pot. 1 Get a cardboard carpet tube and plastic flower pot. This drum is made from a cardboard carpet tube with a plastic flower pot stacked on top. You can get a cardboard carpet tube free from any carpet store.
    • The carpet tube should be three to four inches in diameter.
    • The bottom of the flower pot should be four inches in diameter.
  2. Step 2 Find a beach ball to use. 2 Find a beach ball to use. You need thick, pliable plastic material to make the head of this drum. A beach ball works perfect, but any thick and flexible plastic material will work.
    • A balloon is too thin.
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Make Drums for Kids 3 Cut the carpet tube. Use scissors or a small hand saw to cut the carpet tube to be 12 inches long. Make sure you cut the tube straight and not at an angle so it will attach flat to the flower pot.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Make Drums for Kids 4 Cut a square from the beach ball. Start by using scissors to cut the plastic blow tube off of the beach ball, and then cut the ball open so it can lay out flat. Cut a square out of the beach ball that is as wide as the beach ball is. This will give you enough to cover the top of the flower pot and have extra around the sides.
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Make Drums for Kids 5 Put the plastic square in an embroidery hoop. Get an embroidery hoop the size of the top of the flower pot. Take apart the embroidery hoop and stretch the beach ball square onto the bottom of the embroidery hoop, stretching as you go. Put the top of the embroidery hoop back on the bottom, and make sure the beach ball is very tight in the hoop.
    • This is the drum head
  6. Watermark wikiHow to Make Drums for Kids 6 Attach the drum head to the flower pot. Put the drum head on the top of the flower pot and secure it using packing tape. Use enough tape to securely fasten the drum head to the flower pot.
  7. Watermark wikiHow to Make Drums for Kids 7 Attach the flower pot to the carpet tube. Set the flower pot onto the top of the cardboard tube. Use packing tape to secure the flower pot onto the cardboard tube.
  8. Watermark wikiHow to Make Drums for Kids 8 Decorate the drum. Use decorative material to embellish your new African drum. You can use yarn or twine to wrap around the packing tape to hide it. Attach feathers and beads for a unique, traditional look.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question Does the balloon drum sound good? Community Answer Community Answer Yes, the balloon drum does sound good. It is actually my favorite of them all. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 37 Helpful 72
  • Question Do the coffee tin drums sound good? Stefania Stefania Community Answer Yes, if you make them correctly and use the right drum stick. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 25 Helpful 62
  • Question What can I use other than the beach ball? Kim G Kim G Top Answerer You can use an inner tube, canvas, or any kind of material that you can stretch across the top of a drum shell. Make sure it is strong enough to last while playing. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 19 Helpful 51
See more answers Ask a Question 200 characters left Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Submit Advertisement

Video

Tips

  • Make other homemade instruments to let your kids have an entire band. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 1
  • Pre-cut the construction paper and have the kids decorate it before attaching it on the drum to make it easier for them to decorate. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 1
  • Get a friend to help you stretch the balloon onto the pot. It's easier to make a drum with more than two hands. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement

Things You’ll Need

Coffee Tin Drum

  • Coffee tin with lid
  • Construction paper
  • Craft glue
  • Fabric
  • Decorative items
  • Scissors

Balloon Drum

  • Pot
  • Balloon
  • Rubber bands
  • Scissors

Dumbek Drum

  • Hot glue gun and glue
  • Carpet tube
  • Plastic flower pot
  • Embroidery hoop
  • Beach ball
  • Packing tape
  • Scissors

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References

  1. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjR-XZCQLMA
  2. ↑ https://kidsactivitiesblog.com/5491/big-thoughts-creative-kids/
  3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjR-XZCQLMA
  4. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjR-XZCQLMA
  5. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cVkyoI_adI
  6. Videos provided by bunningswarehouse

About This Article

Renee Day Reviewed by: Renee Day Crafting Expert This article was reviewed by Renee Day. Renee Day is a Crafting Expert and Content Creator based in Michigan. She is a master of paper crafts, and also specializes in brush lettering, journaling, embossing, stamping, stenciling, doodling, and crocheting. Her Instagram account, thediyday, has over 300K followers. She published a book called Creative Journaling: A Guide to Over 100 Techniques and Ideas for Amazing Dot Grid, Junk, Mixed-Media, and Travel Pages. The book contains 52 projects, from crafting colorful pages to creating dot grid, junk, mixed-media, and travel journals. She also created Chunky Letter Calligraphy, a 30+ page (PDF) all about lettering. She runs a thriving Amazon Storefront, where she curates craft supply collections for her followers. She previously worked as a photographer, capturing engagement sessions, weddings, boudoir, and landscapes. She received a Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. This article has been viewed 327,907 times. 28 votes - 87% Co-authors: 22 Updated: March 10, 2025 Views: 327,907 Categories: Making Musical Instruments Article SummaryX

Making drums for kids is an easy project that you can do with household objects. To make a drum from a balloon, find an old pot to use for the body of the drum. Then, pick the right size balloon for the top. If your pot is 10 to 12 inches in diameter, get a 24-inch balloon. For a pot that’s under 10 inches in diameter, get a 16-inch balloon. Cut off the mouthpiece of the balloon and stretch it over the top of the pot. Secure it with rubber bands and use wooden sticks to play your drum. You can also glue construction paper around an old coffee tin and glue a square of fabric to the top of the tin. Put the lid over the fabric, finish decorating, and play your drum. To learn how to make an African drum, keep reading! Did this summary help you?YesNo

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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Renee Day Reviewed by: Renee Day Crafting Expert Co-authors: 22 Updated: March 10, 2025 Views: 327,907 87% of readers found this article helpful. 28 votes - 87% Click a star to add your vote Scott Butzen

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